Comment
My beautiful Sri Lanka is blessed with MS
It is quite interesting in one’s life to work for the largest and
biggest life insurance company of the world named Life Insurance
Corporation of India which is having 300 Million policy holders. The
number is more than the population of most of the countries in the world
(Virtually 4th country as per population after China, India and USA). It
becomes even more interesting when you already have served the Company
for more than 20 years as a direct recruit officer and you are deputed
to an overseas/foreign assignment in a beautiful country called Sri
Lanka. This is what happened to me in January 2013, to be specific on
the 22nd of January 2013, when I took a Sri Lankan Airlines flight from
Mumbai to Colombo.
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President Sirisena with
fitness enthusiasts |
It was a well thought decision to fly in the National Airline of Sri
Lanka, to have a first hand experience from the very beginning of the
journey. The flight touched down in the wee hours of the morning and
after disembarking the aircraft, I touched my forehead to the ground and
made a promise that I will be serving this country and its peopleduring
my stay. This promise was made because I was going to consume the Lunu
(salt) of this country. In India we always say to be loyal of whom you
have tasted the salt. Anyhow, that morning, I along with my family saw
the first sunrise in the country where we were going to spend a couple
of years of our life. The country which has seen a 30 year long war and
was finally ended by former President.
A few days passed and when I was scanning the newspapers, it took
some time for me to understand that anything is possible here.The time
went on, I could get a chance to travel across the Island and experience
the beauty of the country because LIC Lanka Ltd. has Branch offices
across the Island. As I was engulfed in my official duties and
responsibilities, then came the day, 8th of January 2015, when the
country elected a new President named Maithripala Sirisena.
Now, I have 2 ˝ years of experience to learn about the country and
pen it down also.
Background
Here comes a President who is from a humble agricultural background,
a very down to earth person who would not misuse his position or power
for his own personal gains or work on whims and fancies. The person who
has come to serve the people and the country.
Here is a President who has not opted to stay in a luxurious palatial
house and instead opted for simple living, following the philosophy to
simple living-high thinking thereby making it amply clear that he is not
the master but the servant of the people. Despite being in a position to
have a number of chefs at his beck and call, the President prefers home
cooked food prepared by his better half.
You will never find a President in the world who will have a morning
walk with ordinary citizens of the country. During his morning walk, he
spares time to shake hands and speak with the people and don’t hesitate
to be photographed with them and also oblige gracefully to take a selfie
with the public. While he has a morning walk, there are many followers
who take pride that they are having a morning walk with a companion who
is none other than the President of the country. Such experience is yet
to be seen in the world.
Here is a President who without having security around (Z+ Security
in India) will go to a shoe store on the road on his way. Rarely do we
find this type of simplicity in the world history.
Here is a President who doesn’t crave for the position or power.
Hence, declared that he would not be contesting the next Presidential
election and live as an ex-President of the country. His visit to the
family of rape victim of Kytes Island would have given extraordinary
consolation to the bereaved family; another example of his concern for
the ordinary citizen.
The President has also shown his statesmanship for getting the 19th
Amendment passed. For achieving this feat he has probably already
registered his name in golden letters in the history of Sri Lanka.
Amicably sorting out the issue of Chief Justice of Sri Lanka and
installation of Honourable K. Sripavan as the Chief Justice is also
another feather in his cap.
We do not know whether the 20th Amendment will happen because
parliament has already been dissolved. Hopefully the president will get
it through by following the middle path. Whatever is the outcome of the
elections; but surely, the President is likely to steer the Government
by the dint of his high degree of statesmanship and the ‘Yahapalana’
movement.
Simplicity
Because of my experience and movements during the past 2 ˝ years stay
in the beautiful Sri Lanka, I feel that my beautiful Sri Lanka is
blessed with Maithripala Sirisena. Salutes to him for his simplicity.
Best wishes for the “Yahapalana”.
Concerns regarding the security of the President are of utmost
importantce. Even the tightest security was never able to save some of
the most powerful VIPs or VVIPs of the world. President should be
careful because his life is very precious for the country.
Feedback on my pen is welcome at
[email protected]
- Harvinder Singh
General Manager (Mktg. & Oprns) LIC Lanka Ltd.
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